The train starts to wake at 7am and groggily chai is passed around. We all lie in our bunks until 9ish reluctant to move. Three cups of chai later and Raj is back to bouncing off the wall. He absolutely loves chai- this was discovered while watching him chase and hound the chai man up and down the 25 carriage train. The train arrives half an hour later than expected and we jump in a rickshaw to take us to our hotel in Jaisalmer Fort. Again the roads are busy, but a slightly different busy. There's more people on foot, including backpackers, ladies carrying large items on their heads, mopeds and cows. Cows everywhere and they roam all of the roads and only budge when a horn beeps at them.

The women are dressed so beautifully. Saris of every colour with gold and silver threading and intricate embroideries. Adorned in jewellery, covering their toes, ankles, wrists, arms, nose, necks and ears, with lashings of eye liner and a few with henna. Jingling as they walk. It's such a welcome change after the darkly covered women in Jordan and UAE. Some of the women still cover their face but it's with a bright, slightly see through veil. 

A 15 minute drive from the station to the gates of the fort and we set off on foot to our hotel. The golden fort is a sandstone, imposing structure poised upon a high hill, surrounded by a fort wall and curved viewing towers with turrets, and  ornate verandas underneath large windows. Passing through the large archways on the smooth slab floors, admiring the decorated nooks and crannies, a square appears, a tapestry building to the left, a decorated wall ahead and small homes with narrow walkways in between. Turing to the right we walk along the shop window lined path, avoiding cows, cow pats, dogs, playing children and mopeds. There's paintings of Ganesh on the walls and shop sellers selling ornaments, baggy clothing, memory cards, batteries and tissues- such strange combinations.  Electrical wires hang precariously overhead and peoples front doors are left swung open for easy viewing. We quickly throw our bags in our room, shower and head downstairs, I'm sharing with Maddie this time. Maddie, 22, has just spent two months teaching English in Kathmandu, 9 days trekking Everest base camp and now spending three weeks in India. 

Walking back to the drop off point from earlier new things catch my eye. Silver bunting overhead from Diwali, drainage systems running along the side of the path, more carved verandas. Piling into the two waiting jeeps, music is playing on the radio and beads hang from the rear view mirror and the driver sets off for the Thar Desert. An hour later our camels can be seen ready and waiting. We mount our desert steeds: 

Jess – Johnny Walker

Dylan – Simon 

Susan – Michael Jackson

Maddies – Michael Jackson – getting lazy guys.

Dom – Johnny Walker – very lazy! Think of more names.

Me – King Kong

JohnMiller – Raja

Beth – Bubbalo

Brian - Alibaba

We ride for two hours across the desert towards our camp. There's vegetable pakoras and crisps waiting for us, one of the guides start making chai and we climb a sand dune to sit and admire the view. We go back for chai and Raj picks up a bag. It makes that rattle that I recognise instantly. THERE ARE GLASS BOTTLES IN THAT BAG. IS IT BEER? IT IS BEER. GIVE ME BEER. Beth and I open an ice cold beer while everyone sips their chai. Sunset approaching we walk back up the sand dune. Dylan sets up his go pro, Beth breaks her camera getting sand in it while Raj takes selfies. Raj tells us how close we are to Pakistan, and Dylan and Dom set to work on how they're going to cross the border. The sun didn't quite set. It descended into smog. It was such an average sunset and Dylan's video was so poor that it was funny. Our beds were laid out under the stars with mattresses and blankets facing the sun rise. We ate our dinner on our laps in bed, Raj danced to ‘Panni’ and taught us some moves (light bulb move, bicycle move, pumping the break, flying the kite, snake and pigeon neck), and had an early night.